PHILIP BRAILSFORD TRIAL: Officer who stood next to Brailsford during shooting testifies

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A new week of testimony in the case against former Mesa Police officer Philip Brailsford begun on Monday.

Brailsford is charged with the shooting death of an unarmed suspect, Daniel Shaver. On Monday, Mesa Police Officer Brian Elmore, who stood next to Brailsford when he allegedly opened fire on Shaver, took the stand.

Like Brailsford, Elmore was armed with an AR-15 rifle, Both Brailsford and Elmore were assigned by their sergeant to provide lethal coverage for the group of six officers who responded to the La Quinta hotel.

According to Elmore's testimony, he saw Shaver reach his hand back, and that his immediate reaction was to take cover.

Elmore, however, did not open fire.

When Elmore was asked if he was going to shoot Shaver if he put his hands behind his back, Elmore replied, "I don't know".

During Monday morning, one of the last people to see Shaver alive took the stand.

Luis Nunez testified that he and another woman were inside Shaver's room and drinking when Shaver showed him his pellet rifle.

Shaver's sister and wife cried, as the body-cam video played in court, showing the moment when shaver was shot.

If convicted, Brailsford faces up to 25 years in prison. Elmore, meanwhile, will return to the stand Tuesday morning.